Forever, Day One
by TinDog
Summary: She had just dropped her keys onto the counter and was fumbling for the kitchen light; fingers clumsy with exhaustion, she could not find the switch (her own light switch! in her own kitchen!) and the small frustration sent her over the brink.


A brief Rose/Tentwo reunion fic, to get it out of my head and because I don't agree entirely with some stories' interpretation of a hardened, callous Rose Tyler. The way she feels about him, felt about him, the way she came apart on that beach while he was burning up a sun- she just loves him.

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><p>After it was all over- after the running had stopped and the adrenaline ebbed and a very grim Pete and exhausted Jackie had dropped them off at Rose's flat- Rose Tyler wept. She had just dropped her keys onto the counter and was fumbling for the kitchen light; fingers clumsy with exhaustion, she could not find the switch (her own light switch! in her own kitchen!) and the small frustration sent her over the brink. She let her head fall onto the counter, hands twisting in her short blonde hair, and she sobbed with no ability to restrain herself.<p>

"Rose." Behind her, the half-human Doctor took a tentative step forward. He had been standing with his back against the closed door, waiting for her to lead the way. After their kiss on the beach and even before it he had been uncharacteristically quiet and controlled. No babble, no affectionate physical touches, no energetic springing about. He seemed to be almost holding his breath.

"Rose," he said again, softly. One hand alighted gently, too gently, on her shoulder. "I understand. I'll be going."

She raised her wet face, horrified, and grabbed at him as he rushed for the door. His unfamiliar blue suit bunched in her fists. "Where are you going?"

"Anywhere. Somewhere. I'll be all right." His mouth compressed into a thin line but his hands on hers were still gentle, prying her fingers from his clothes. Rose dodged closer and grabbed him again, curling her fingers around his shoulders.

"If you don't want to stay with me," she said, keeping her voice steady by a force of will he had not realized she had. "If you don't want to stay with me, then why-why-" And here her control broke again and she sobbed out the next words, as broken and unashamed as she had been on that beach in Norway the first time he said goodbye. "Why did you kiss me? Why did you tell me you loved me?"

"I do love you." His voice was low, his face serious. "And I want to stay. Aside from the fact that I don't have my TARDIS or a home in this universe, I've missed you. But Rose, I'm not- I mean, you obviously feel-"

"What? That you're not properly the Doctor?" Rose smeared at her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"Er. Yes. That."

"You thick, genocidal nutter." More tears. More smearing. Her mascara was a mess. She took a deep, shaky breath. "How long has it been for you? Has all the good I did you really been undone?"

"I did tell you that, back at the TARDIS."

"Doctor." She took a small step closer, pressing herself against him. She was trembling. "Doctor. When that Dalek shot you- when you fell-" She buried her face against his chest, shuddering with sobs, and after a moment the Doctor's arms went around her, hands rubbing soothing trails up and down her back.

"I've missed you so much, Rose Tyler." The words were hopelessly inadequate. He had been manic, almost suicidal, without her. His arms tightened around her and his lips dropped to the top of her head, pressing kisses there and then on her forehead.

"I've seen you change bodies before," Rose whispered at last. "I can love you no matter what you look like or how many of you there are in existence. You're the Doctor. That's all I care about."

Something cold and hard inside his one heart broke at her words. He cupped her face between his hands. "I love you. Oh, I love you. My precious Rose." Their lips met in a second kiss, long and sweet and full of promises.

"So stay, yeah?"

He laughed. "You know, I think I will. Though your reluctance to turn on a light and give me a tour of our home is making me a bit suspicious."

Rose pulled back a little, dabbing again at her face with her soaked cuffs and sniffling. "It's not that bad. A bit bare, probably. I haven't spent much time here."

"We can fix that." His fingers threaded through hers, tugging her toward the interior of the flat in a familiar gesture that undid her again. The Doctor stopped and enfolded her in his arm again, letting her dampen his shirt-front with her tears.

"I'm sorry. I don't usually do this."

"Human biology. You've had a lot to cope with today." Only the Doctor could make a scientific analysis sound sympathetic. Rose laughed through her tears.

"Oi. You're half-human yourself, now."

"Well," he said dismissively, drawing the word out. "Plenty of time to think about that in the morning. Bed? No, wait. Tea. Biscuits, tea, lovely restorative tannins, then sleep. And don't think for a moment I'm going to let you out of my sight, Rose Tyler."

"And tomorrow?"

"I'll still be here."

"Doctor."

He saw the worry, the questions in her eyes. "I'm afraid you're just going to have to keep your promise, Rose."

"My promise?" Rose was filling the kettle for tea. She stared blankly at him, his brave, exhausted human girl, racking her brain. The Doctor leaned in and kissed her again.

"Forever. You promised me forever. And now I can finally promise you the same."


End file.
